Re: Tracker Mariner 40HP Electrical Fire
Gerry - Thank you for responding! The fire was limited to this one little area. It started at the bottom of the area you can see burned, and moved upwards. I think that just the plastic cover over that area burned, and not everything there. I believe a wire or something shorted out at the bottom, igniting the fire, and it grew. It lasted about 5 minutes after I first noticed a little smoke. I was about 2 miles from the marina, and ran there at the first sign of smoke. I didn't know I was on fire at first, I thought it was overheating or something like that. When I stopped at the dock and cut off the engine, I then saw A LOT of smoke, and tried to get the cowl off, but I made the mistake of touching it, and that baby was HOT! So I got a guy to come over and take my fire extinguisher, and I pulled the cowl off with a towel and glove, at which time he saw flames and blasted it with the extinguisher.
It may even still run, I haven't tried, and wont until I get it looked at by someone who knows what they are doing. I was hoping to get an idea of how bad this looks before going to the repair shop. I know computers and electronics from that perspective, but know nothing about engines and motor electronics. Any advice you can pass along would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks again -
Bill